Salt container for zeolite regeneration



Feb. 21, 1933. R. E. BRESSLER ET AL SALT CONTAINER FOR ZEOLITE REGENERATION Filed Aug. 10, 1929 2 Sheets-Sheet 1 Feb. 21, R E BRESSLERETAL SALT CONTAINER FOR ZEOLITE REGENERATION Filed Aug. 10. 1929 2 Shets-Sheet 2 [we/35m fioberi EBraseZa: 170 [(26 71 105 5 Patented Feb. 21, 1933 UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE ROBERT E. BRESSLER, OF HAMMOND, AND DOUGLAS V. MOSES, OF EAST CHICAGO,

INDIANA, ASSIGNORS TO GRAVER CORPORATION 01E ILLINOIS CORPORATION, OF-EAST CHICAGO, INDIANA, A.

SALT com'amaa non znournanenfinaarron Application m August 10, 1929. Serial no. 885,017.

Our invention relates to water softeners of the exchange method type and moreespecially to a salt container for zeolite regeneration.

Our invention comprehends water softening devices in which a zeolite regeneration action takes place and has to do principally with a quick and eflective method and. means for accom lishing the zeolite regeneration.

The ordinary hard'water, which is the only kind available for many industrial purposes, contains not only salts of iron and aluminum but objectionable quantities of salts of lime and magnesia, WhlCh make the water unfit for many of the uses for which it is desired to be put, and it is necessary to soften the water by the removal particularly of lime and magnesia salts. Zeolite, which is the insoluble hydrated silicate of aluminum combined with an alkali or an alkaline metal or both, has the for another base, which is soda, and the lime and magnesia are retained b the zeolite and the sodium salts are released:

This process can not go on indefinitely, in as much as the zeolite must be rejuvenated or restored b permitting it to come in contact with a so ution of sodium chloride, when the first exchan is reversed. The sodium of the salts substitutes itself for the absorbed calcium and magnesium and the resulting soluble calcium and magnesium chlorides are washed away with clean water. The salt solution is made strong enough to accomplish this quickly and efi'ectively.

This process is well known in the art and need not be further explained in detail here.

It is an object of our invention to provide a salt container which will supply a regulated quantity of salt solution to the zeolite softener.

Another object is to provide a container for supplying salt solution having a maximum concentration and to follow this with a minimum concentration.

A further object is to provide a salt conproperty of exchanging its base tainer in which the salt solution is prevented from being forced back into the water supply line due the salt container.

Other objects and advantages will become obvious from the following description, reference being had to the accompanying drawings, in which Fig. l is a view showing in sectional elevation a zeolite tank and salt container embodying our invention, and

F ig. 2 is a similar view showing a modified form of salt container. 1

Referring more particularly to Fig. 1, in the drawings, we show a salt container tank having a shell 10 and a perforated plate 11 so placed as to leave a space 12 between it and the bottom 13 of the container. A bafile plate 14 is provided over plate 11 and a pipe 15 extends downwardly through cover 16 to a point below plate 11. Pipe '15 has an opening 17 in it near the top and within container to the variation in pressure within explained hereinafter. A ipe 19 is located within pipe 15 and exten s from near the bottom 13 of the container up through the top, but is open to the container only at its lowerextremity. Cover 16 has an opening 20 in which is located a sleeve 21 throu which-salt may be introduced for filling the container, and a cap 22 tops this sleeve. A layer of gravel. 23 is placed on plates 11 and 14 which serves as a bed for the salt 24. Pipe 15 is suitably connected through a valve 26 to the water supply line 27 and'pipe 19 is connected to pipe 28 through a check valve 29. Pipes 27 and 28 are connected b section in which a valve 30 is place Pipe a pipej 8 5 28 leads, as shown, to the bottom of a. tank- 1 31, which has a perforated plate 32 containing a layer of gravel 33 on which rests a quantity of zeolite 34. Leading from the top of tank 31 are .pipes and 36, each provided with valves 37 and38.

In Fig. 2 we have shown a modified form of a salt container in which the outlet pipe Having described the apparatus used for "our invention, the operation s as follows:

V 21, valve 26 \Vith the zeolite tank 31 containing zeolite and with valve 30 open to the supply pipe 27 the hard Water will flow through the zeolite bed in the bottom of tank 31 and be softened in its passage therethrough and is led off for use through pipe 36. The salt container 10 or 10a may be filled with salt throu h sleeve having first been closed to prevent an overflow of water through sleeve 21 and after the tank has been filled with salt and cover. 22 replaced, valve 26 is opened. Fresh water will then fill the tank, flowing mainl through openings 18 in pipe 15, althoug opening 17 near the top will also permit of some flow of fresh water in the tank. Sleeve 21 extends downwardly in the container an appreciable extent, as shown, so that when the container is being filled with salt the salt level can not go higher than the lower end of sleeve 21. When the container is filled with water there will be a quantity of practically fresh water above the salt level and this will be maintained by a flow through opening 17.

The brine solution thus formed by the salt and the water will collect in space 12 below plate 11 and will be highly concentrated, because of the density of the salt, which creates a greater concentration at the bottom.

When it is desired to rejuvenateorregenerate the zeolite, valves 30 and 38 are closed and valve 37 leading to waste pi 35 is opened. The line pressure from pipe will now force the brine solution in s ace 12 upwardly in pipe 19 and out throug check valve 29 and pipieh28 through the zeolite tank 31.

e brine solution in passing through the zeolite will give up its sodium and takes up the calcium and magnesium chlorides which now pass out through waste pipe 35. After the desired amount of salt solution has been passed through the zeolite tank, valve 30 is o ned and fresh water will be admitted-to t e zeolite tank, and after a pe-- riod of washing, valve 37 is closed and valve 38 opened and the zeolite tank is now in normal operation for softening the water. soon as valve 30 is opened the flow of brine through pipe 28 ceases because of the a 8 full line pressure when valve 30 is closed.

Valve 26 being normally open, the salt tank 10 or 10a will be develo ing a brine solution by the dissolution of t e salt in the water while the zeolite softening process is taking place, and a highly concentrated volume will be formed in the chamber 12. By adjusting the height of plate 11 variations may be made of the capacity of chamber 12 which may be found desirablefrom time to time as determined by the quantity of brine solution found necessary for regenerating the zeolite tank. After the initial flow of the concentrated brine solution from chamber 12 there will be a flow of substantially clear water, flowing through apertures 18 in pipe 15. The action of regenerating the zeolite is then that of pming through it quickly first a concentrated quantity of brine and following this at once with a solution of practically clear water. In this manner regeneration of the zeolite is most rapid and, as our improved salt container will provide a quantity of brine of substantially maximum strength or a saturated solution ready whenever regeneration of the zeolite is required, there results a saving of time in the zeolite softening operation, which should be as short as possible, since during'regeneration of the zeolite the softening process must be temporarily discontinued.

During the period of operation of the softener pressure variations may be encountered with a resultant expansion and contraction of the salt container. This contraction of the tank would result in brine being forced upward througlpipe 15'and back through valve 26 into f line 27 and carried into the zeolite tank while it is operating as a softener. Thisaction is, of course, undesirable and is circumvented by having the opening 17 in pipe 15 near the top of the tank 10 or 10a. Opening 17 permits of a flow of fresh water into the top of the sa'lt container and an appreciable volume of fresh water is maintained above the level of the salt and any contraction of the tank which would tend to force a back flow through valve 26 will only cause fresh water to be thus forced back, the opening 17 permitting this pomible backflow from the top of the tank As 10 or 100 into pipe 15.

Our invention has been illustrated with an upflow type of zeolite tank but it will operate equally well with the downflow softener.

Changes and modifications may suggest themselves, and. we do not wish to limit our invention to] the exact devices shown, which are understood to be illustrative only.

What we claim as our invention and desire to secure. by Letters Patent is 1. In a salt container for zeolite regeneration,'in combination, a container having a salt chamber adapted to have a salt solution portion and'a substantially fresh water portion, a brine chamber, a baflie plate separating said chambers, an inlet pipe having openings in each of said chambers, from said brine chamber, and means to permit a flow of brine from said brine chamber and prevent the flow of brine into said inlet 3. In a salt container for zeolite regeneratlon, in combination, a salt container havin a salt chamber provided with, a portion for fresh water, a brine chamber in restricted communication with said salt chamber, an inlet pipe having openings adjacent the top of each of said chambers, an outlet pipe adapted to receive a discharge of brine from a point adjacent the bottom of said brine chamber, a check valve in said outlet pipe, and a shutoff valve between said inlet and outlet pipes.

4. In a salt container'for zeolite,v regenerati on, in combination, a container having a salt chamber and. a brine chamber, a cover for said salt chamber, a filling sleeve in said cover extendinginto said chamber and adapted to-provide fresh water space at the top of said salt chamber and to limit the quantity of salt thatmay be/put into said chamber, an inlet to'said salt -chamber adjacent the top of said fresh water space, fresh water and brine inlets to-said brine chamber, and an outlet from said brine chamber.

5. The combination of a zeolite softeningv tank and a brine supplying tank communicating therewith, said brine supplying tank including a brine chamber and a salt chamber so communicating that during the period of an outlet pipe leading therewith, said brine suppl tank including a brine chamber. and a salt ciiamber communieating therewith, and means for first supplying to said softening tank a brine of' a predetermined maxinium concentration and for thereafter supplying a brine of a predetermined concentration materially lower than said. first mentioned concentration.

Signed at East Chicago, Indiana, this 24th day of uly, 1929.

ROBERT E. BRESSLER.

DOUGLAS V. MOSES.

nonuse a body of substantially saturated brine will accumulate in-said brine chamber, an outlet at one end of said brine chamber, means for supplying fresh water to a point in said brine chamber remote from said outlet, and means for simultaneously forcing brine from said salt chamber to said brine chamber.

6. The combination of a softening tank with a brine supply tank in communication 

